Fire-escape



(No Model.)

0. E. BAKER.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 278,847. Patented June 5,1883.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY INVBNTOR N. PETERS. Phmwm m, Walhrngtan. a r;

' NITED STATES PATENT FFICEI.

CHRISTIAX E. BAKER, .OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR- OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES A. EGGERT, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,847, dated June 5, 1883.

Application filed February 1883. No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN E. BAKER,

, of Chicago, in the 'county of Cook and State of floors of hotels, factories, or other high buildings with perfect safety; and it consists in the connection of a basket by an intermediate tackle or differential spools with a piston that travels in a pipe, the speed of which is controlled by the cscapement of water from above such piston, while the return-lift of the empty basket is caused by a vacuum formed below the piston, all as hereinafter more fully described and specifically claimed.

' In the accompanying dra\\'ings,Figure 1 represents an elevation of the entire apparatus; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the upper portion of the pipe, and Fig. 3 a vertical section of the lower portion of the same.

Corresponding letters inthe several figures of the drawings designate like parts.

A denotes a wrought or cast iron or brass pipe, that is bored out true cylindrical, with its bottom end closed hermetically by a cover, a. The top end of this pipe A is also closed by a cap, I), that is screwed upon it, and is tapped at it sides by one or more small cocks or faucets, 0. Upon this pipe A, between cap b and a flange, d, is secured the bottom rim of a globularor otherwise shaped reservoir, B. This pipe A has a ring-flange, e, screwed upon its lower portion, that by bolts f connects such pipe with a plate, C, which is rigidly secured upon the floor of the hall or room in the building, and by bracket-clamps 0 such pipe A is fastened to the wall of the room. A small aircock, 9, is tapped through cover a of pipe A. A piston, D, provided with suitable packing rings, is snugly fitted into cylinder Ato move up and down therein. This piston has a loop, h, for coupling the end of a wire rope, E, that is projected through a central hole in cap 11, is

passed over a sheave, i, and is thence coupled to block j of a tackle, F, that is placed under the ceiling of the hall or room. Theopposite block, K, of tackle F is rigidly coupled to the inside of the wall of the building. The fall end of the tackle-rope m is passed through a hole 5 in the wall and over a sheave or pulley, n, that 'is secured under the cornice, veranda, or to a bracket," G, of the outer wall of the building, and a basket or box, H, is suspended to the end of such rope m.

The mod us operand a1 of the apparatus is as follows,to wit: The piston D is pushed to the bot tom of pipe A,while air-cock g is open to expel into reservoir-B. The velocity of basket H relative to that of piston D is multiplied by the number of rovings of rope at through blocks j and 7c of the tackle F, which is to be proportional to the length of pipe A relative to the elevation above the street, in such a manner that by the time the piston D has reached the upper end of pipe A the basket H has arrived at the ground. \Vhile the piston D is thus pulled upward and is forcing the water out of pipe A into reservoir B a vacuum will be formed below such piston D, since no air can leak through the bottom of such pipe, and since the water in the upper portion of the pipe will prevent the leakage of air by the piston. As soon as the basket H is relieved of its 10311111? will be elevated again to 0 its original position by the atmosphericpressure pushing the piston D to the bottom end of cylinder A again, the return movement of such basket being of about .the same velocity with which it was lowered, or proportional to the 5 speed with which the water can enter pipe A again through faucets 0. After the basket H has arrived at the top again a second person can occupy it to lower himself in a like man-' ner, and so on continuously until everybody has made his escape from the burning buildmg.

is will be not-iced, this device or apparatus is very simple in its construction, is entirely safe and reliable, and is always ready for use in case of emergency.

The pipe A can be located any distance away from the place where the basket is to be suspended, and can be placed into any nook or corner where it is out of sight.

in place of a tackle, difterentia-l spools or gearing can be employed with equal advantage for proportioning the diit'erence of travel be tween basket H and piston l). \Vaterbeing a non-elastic tiuid of which only a certain amount can pass through an opening within a certain time. with but a small variation caused by dit'- t'erent pressures, the down speed of the basket will be but very little increased by several persons mounting the basket at the same time.

'hat I elaimis- 1. In a fire-escape,the combination ot'a basket with a piston traveling in a pipe, the speed of which is regulated by the escape of water from the pipe above such piston, and that will elevate the empty basket again by atmospheric pressure brought about by a vacuum formed below such piston, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as'and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a fire-escape, the pipe A, having faucets c and reservoir B, in combination with piston D, that by ropes E m and a multiple purchase connects with basket H, the same being con structed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a fire-eseape, the pipe A,having faucets c and reservoir B, ineombination with piston D, that by rope E and tackle F connects with basket H, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

in testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 a'liix my signature in presence ottwo witnesses.

I ("HRlS'lIAX E. BAKER.

\Vitnesses:

ADAM GEo.\\'n1'rE, R. G. SCHMID. 

